Pair Arrested in Stolen Vehicle Incident

A pair of Hilo residents have been charged with felonies after being spotted in a stolen vehicle, according to the Hawai’i Police Department.

HPD says that a 22-year-old Kea’au man reported that a vehicle he had been driving was stolen while he was at Malama Park in Pana’ewa.

On Tuesday morning, a Kona patrol officer saw the stolen vehicle on Hale Kapili Street in Kona. Two male passengers in the vehicle fled from the area and the driver, who has been identified as 35-year-old Cherise King of Hilo, was arrested.

One of the men who left the scene was recognized as 30-year-old Jeffrey Paul DeCastro of Hilo.

King was taken to the Kona police cellblock as Area II Criminal Investigations Section detectives continued their investigation. As they investigated, detectives found 0.9 grams of methamphetamine in the car and paraphernalia associated with the use of illegal narcotics.

Officers arrested DeCastro on suspicion of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle at 1:30 p.m on Wednesday in the area of Ali’i Drive in Kona. He was taken to the Kona cellblock.

On Wendesday around 8 p.m., King was charged with driving without a license, two counts of promoting a dangerous drug, and three counts of possessing drug paraphernalia. DeCastro was charged with unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, contempt of court, and four counts of discharge of sureties.

King’s bail was set at $10,500 and DeCastro’s bail was set at $24,250. The pair remained at the cellblock as they awaited their initial court appearance on Thursday.